


World of Stories

by DeviJhonas



Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games), Monster Hunter Stories, Monster Hunter World
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:22:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28353879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeviJhonas/pseuds/DeviJhonas
Summary: In a world of monsters and madness, there are multiple ways to live, and multipel cultures that live ignorant of eachother, or activly trying to deny the other's existance. Bt, no matter how hard one pushes, the pressure will soon build up, break through, and cause chaos.This particular pressure was one very annoyed Recearch Head, and the information she had gathered, mixed with one very energetic Rider and her friends.The results? Well... the new world will never recover.
Relationships: All The Riders(Friendship)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone! Welcome to World of Stories, a story im moving over from Fanfcition after some... particularly scathing rebukes, hoping to find people more willing to bounce ideas with! I hope you enjoy, there's lots more to come, especially with MHS2 coming out!

“So, the rumors are true then?” The pink haired woman asked rhetorically, looking over the latest information from their mainland home base. “An entirely new continent, full of new monsters and even new elder dragons. What a discovery. And to think, we only really found it by following elder dragons.” The woman said softly, putting the paper on her desk as she looked over the monster reports, finding a few brow raisers. “My, for such an island it's remarkably lacking in monsters. There is variety, yes, But with the amount of area i'm surprised more haven't come in. Maybe it's a sign?” She mused, looking over the reports. Rathalos, Diablos, the normal crew, along with a few newcomers she had never heard of before. “I wonder just how these monsters act around humans, how they interact with the world? If they ever were taken off the island, what would happen?” She mused, before shaking her head. “Of course, i can't ask for samples. They don't trust my branch, They think we’re insane! Just because we refuse to go against a previously unknown way of life!” she muttered.

In fact, the Royal Paleontology Scriveners Guild refused to believe a word she said about what had happened on this continent. No matter what they were told, or who told it to them, they refused to believe that anything bar a Shagaru Magala could cover the large island-continent they had taken up residence in that odd black smoke that was reported. They didn't want to hear about ancient legends, corrupted monsters, or Riders. The suicidally raging monsters were obviously suffering from the Frenzy Virus, despite it even targeting things like Konchu and Shakalaka, who were immune to the Frenzy Virus due to lack of size. 

But the people knew better. They had seen what Katsuki, the Rider she had grown to trust as a solver of problems, had returned with. They had seen the white fur turned pitch black, the monstrous horns, the lion-like face. It matched every description she had ever read of the Makili Pikeru she could find. The Black dread.

But the guild didn't care. This nearly world ending event never happened, because they refused to believe that there was such a thing as kinship stones, as Riders.

And for the life of her, she couldn't prove them wrong! If she sent a rider on a ship to the mainland, their precious partners would be hunted and killed! She had seen how Katsuki treated her monsters, a tender touch here and loving pat here and there, even making sure to guard them with all her strength when it came to battle. Her village, she learned from her assistant, had called her the ‘Wild Child’ of Pondry Hills. A girl who, despite all attempts to rein her in, could never quite leave the monsters outside their walls, the very wild and angry monsters, alone. She was normally seen fishing with Arzuros, shepherding Apanoth, even helping a Velociprey, one of the few monsters no one could bond with, with a broken leg. She truly embodied the Rider code of being one with nature. She only killed when she needed to, stole only a few eggs here and there to keep the species alive and well, and despite taking the gene’s she needed from the monsters she hatched, she always was teary eyed to see them run off into the wilds. Her personal stable paw in Gildergarm had even said that she could be found talking to monsters as they passed, hers or wild! It was like she was just part of their world, another monster in their cycle. Now, that didn't mean they never got rowdy, but that's what she had her kinship stone for. Her bonded monsters could appear next to her at a moments notice, ready to defend her. The most ferocious of these was her partner, Ratha.

Despite the childish name, there was nothing cute or cuddly about that dragon. Ratha was, of course, a Rathalos. the King of the Skies. And he proved it in every fight he ever got into. If the monsters trying to attack his rider ever took to the air, he struck them down with extreme prejudice. The dragon had multiple ways of slaying their opponents, and more often than not it was Katsuki halting his jaws that had saved the life of a few Hunters who tried to attack him. A monstrous dragon, Katsuki had helped outfit him as best she could to make sure he survived, and he showed it every second he was in battle.

But Katsuki, despite her control of her monsters, was still a child. A hero, but a child nonetheless. No one outside of the continent treated her like anything but the child she was, and if ever she left with a monster at her side, she knew there would be an incident the moment she stepped from the boat, even with her stone keeping her friends in control.

She couldn't go to the mainland, it was too dangerous. Despite her constant begging, her constant want to see more of the world, she couldn't relent. If she did, the wrath of the hunters guild would fall on her tribe's head, and with the kinds of things she had seen Katsuki ride…. she didn't know who would come out on top.

‘ _But what if,_ ’ A traitorous part of her mind whispered. ‘ _we got another place to back us up? They are already gathering the fifth fleet, the one they say will solve the mystery of the island. Why not give them a fighting chance?_ ’ Her thoughts purred. ‘ _Let the riders go, All of them. they’ll have eachothers backs. Any who try to harm one of their monsters will find more weapons then they think aimed at them._ ’

With a conspiritory grin, Captain Simone of the Royal Paleontology Scriveners casually rang the bell on her own desk, her apprentice rushing in, red beret bouncing on her brown hair.

“Yes Captain Simone, how can i help you?” Lila, childhood friend to Katsuki, asked with a seriousness she had come to expect of the young girl.

“Would you mind calling Katsuki here?” Captain Simone asked, smiling. “I had an idea I think she would adore.”


	2. I cant Beleive it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip is about to start, but like always, nothing is ever smooth when sailing.

"I can't believe it.” Cheval said, looking at the paper that Katsuki, the sometimes insufferable ball of hunting instincts and energy, was holding in front of his face. The golden eyed, red haired teen seemed to be a mix of incredulous and stunned. “They're letting you go off continent? Are they trying to make an incident?” He muttered, looking at the snaggletooth grin on his rival’s face. Rathi, his partner and closest ally, huffed and casually nudged him with her tail. The Rathian always tried to make sure he didn't get himself into awkward situations with his wording, so he immediately backed up. “You're great at hunting and all, but shipping you to an island full of Hunters?”

“Not just me!” Katsuki, the Wild Child of Pondry Hills, announced happily. “This is a summons to all four riders!”

“I still can't believe they counted Debii as a rider.” Navirou, Katsuki’s partner and resident egg checker, muttered obstinately. “He got his Monstie by jumping on its back and saying it was his!”

“No matter what anyone says about the two of them, Hamshank loves his rider. He just doesn't think Debii is the best commander on a battlefield.” Katsuki said, shrugging.

“How do you know all this?” Navirou muttered, before sighing and shaking his head. “No, wait, let meow guess. Ratha told you.”

“Nope!” Katsuki said, grinning. “I got that from Hamshank himself!”

“..... Why do i even bother.” Navirou sighed.

“If we can get back to the conversation?” Cheval sighed, looking at them. “All four of us are going?”

“And Lilia!” Katsuki informed him, smiling wide. “Captain Simone wants us to have a representative, someone to talk to the people there about us, our habits, and how to avoid tripping over each other!” she said, grinning as she leaned back, enjoying the sun on her face. Most would find Albarax, the city almost dead center of a mountain range that led to not only a volcano, but a desert, unbearably hot. Katsuki just smiled and froliced in the sand with the wild monsters, just like she did in the unbearable cold of Mt. Celion. Most called her a survivalist.

Navirou, her constant partner who had traveled through every temperature imaginable with her, called her insane.

“So, have they agreed to come yet?” Cheval asked, trying to think of how this was going to work. between Avina’s Barioth, one of the predators of the icy north, Dabii, with his massive poogie, and himself, with Rathi, they had a snow predator, a plains predator, and a massive thing that no one in their right mind would call prey with how it could send full grown monsters flying. Not to mention Katsuki’s menagerie.

“We’ve been given one of the biggest ships in the harbor, The Zorah’s Child.” Katsuki said, grinning as Cheval looked at her wide eyed.

The Zorah’s Child was one of the guilds best shipping vessels, mostly due to the sheer size of the boat itself. 1181 feet long, and a whopping 154 foot breadth, it could transport more supplies than anything!

“Why are we being given the Elders damn Zorah’s Child?!” Cheval hissed, wide eyed.

“My menagerie, a multitude of monster parts and supplies that the four of us have gathered and sold for coin, a cooking area, a live in stable paw, more room for when i inevitably expand said menagerie, rooms for the five of us plus any hunters they send to watch us, an escape vessel for if things go to shit, and all in all general notoriety.” Katsuki said, grinning. “If we show up in the Zorah’s Child, that means that yes, we did get sent by captain Simone, yes she trusts us enough to send us with it, yes the four of us ran it entirely with the help of our monsters and Felyne, and yes, this is actually happening.” Katsuki said, a wicked grin growing on her face as cheval grew paler with every word from her mouth, soon a stark white to his red hair.

“.... you're insane.” Cheval said calmly.

“Nope~ I'm just excited. I might even get the numbers to come aboard with us!” Katsuki said, smiling at the thoughts of the modified palico that lived in Konapi with Dabii and Avina. 

“Oh and that just makes things LOTS better.” Cheval grumped. The numbers were a series of six, counting Navirou, genetically modified palico. Each one had their own ability, from elemental manipulation, to enhanced smarts, to being able to put things to sleep, including herself, at a yawn. “You're going to cause a panic the moment you step off the ship, I know it.” Cheval moaned, hands to his face. “Please tell me we have some kind of escort?”

“I think Simone is in a mood, because she said we’re going by ourselves.” Katsuragi said, shrugging, as Cheval groaned harder.

This was going to end in disaster, he just knew it.

*********************************

Cheval was severely mistaken. it wasn't going to end in disaster.

The disaster started before they even left!

“I’m not the only one seeing this, right?” Dabii whispered, getting shaking heads from the other four humans of the group, the six Felynes having high tailed to behind the supply crates where it was safe while this…. display was going on.

Now normally, Katsuki was one of the kindest people in the world. She spent time with wild monsters, healing the injured and guarding the weak. She spent her time in cities the same ways.

This was not that Katsuki.

“KING! QUEEN! I know you two see this as a honeymoon, and I give literally NO shits! if you try to make a nest on TOP of the boat again i'm going to skin you both! you have a designated stable that's big enough for both of you, MAKE IT THERE!” Katsuki roared, the golden and silver dragons cowering before her. The mated pair sufficiently cowed, Katsuki turned on her heel. 

“Sleeper!” she called, the Great Baggi standing tall at the immediate address. “The raptor pack is yours to watch, if they get out of line knock them out and drag them back to their stables! if they mess something up it's on YOUR head.” she growled, getting a wince from the blue scaled raptor as it nodded, moving with its own little pack of Baggi that came with it everywhere it went to go round up the other flightless Bird Wyverns. “Amethyst you're on the other side of that coin, if I see Ruby and Saph take to the air I'm going to shave your mane with a rusty razor!” she growled, making the Yian Garuga rapidly nod as it covered its mane with its wings, trying to hide it. another flash of movement, another quick spin.

“Cipactli.” she said calmly, the Deviljho freezing in its tracks at her cold tone. “Do I need to muzzle you? I feel like I need to muzzle you. For the THIRD! AND FINAL! TIME! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED NEAR OUT SUPPLIES! The stablepaw will feed you, and feed you well. It's even going to be Mittens. You like Mittens, remember? She’s the stablepaw that gives you extra portions if you behave. So step back from the supply crates, get back to the Brute Wyverns, and stay there.” she growled, hand to her forehead as the dragon began moving back to his group, rubbing her aching head with a thumb and forefinger. 

“Yin, Yang, please tell me that Inferno and Blizzard are just fine with their accommodations?” she moaned, getting a pair of happy neighs from her Kirin and Oroshi Kirin, the two Elder Dragons never far apart. “Good. Inferno is with the steam engine to keep it going without the need for coal, and Blizzard is nesting at the back of the ship, same as planned, right?” Another pair of neighs. “Good. Keep them where they're supposed to be, and make sure they don't start fighting. The last thing we need is a turf war in the middle of the ocean.” she groused, moving to sit on a crate as she watched her Menagerie be moved onto the boat by species type.

“I’m going to need a vacation after this. Which is bad because this IS a vacation, or at least as close as we’re ever going to get!” she huffed, shaking her head as she looked at the stunned hunters. “You guy’s monsties all loaded up? Frostfang, Rathi, Hamshank, all good?” She asked, getting a trio of hesitant nods as she smiled. “Good! I made sure their stables were near your rooms, just in case anything happened. One, Two, Three, Four, Six, you guys all good?” he asked, looking at the cowering Felyne as they poked their heads out, nodding slowly as she smiled. “Excellent! now i just need to make sure my menagerie gets loaded up and i’ll be good!” she said, smiling as she stood, stretching and popping her back before, with an annoyed sigh, walking over to the loading ramp to begin marking the appropriate monsties off the list as they walked in.

“She’s like an entirely different person.” Avinia muttered, eyes tracking Katsuki nervously. “Do you think she realizes it?”

“I think she’s stressed to hell about making sure they're all ok on the ship.” Dabii said back, watching her actually grab her Raijang’s tail, he thought it was named Thunderhead? Anyways, Katsuki grabbed its tail and DRAGGED it over to her other Fanged Beasts to begin lecturing them about behavior on the seas, earning several nodding creatures as she smiled, patting them on their heads before moving to help her herbivores onto the ship, slowly helping the skittish creatures inside as she smiled at them, assuring them that no, they weren't going to be food for these other monsters, they had rations for that, and fish besides. “I can't understand how she, well, understands them. I can get general emotions from Hamshank now, but she flat out understands them.”

“It's because she’s soulbound to Ratha.” Cheval said, nodding over to the Rathalos that was currently making sure the other flying wyverns didn't get uppity as he led them inside, watching each carefully as they walked into their designated dens. “The rest of us are bound to our monsters, but hers is deeper. Stronger. Their two halves of a whole, and that means some things travel over. She can understand monster body language, and he can understand speech as well as any elder dragon.”

“So, a smart Rathalos and his energetic Rider go to the new world. Sounds like a Canteen joke.” Alvinia muttered, getting confused looks from the other two. “Just because I come from rich blood doesn't mean I don't know things about the rest of the world. The Canteen is where Hunters gather to eat, drink, and share stories.” she explained, getting slow nods from the other two. they didn't have one in Gildergarm, so they didn't really know.

“Alright guys, Humans and Felynes next!” Katsuki called, getting everyone’s attention as they turned to see her waving them in, Thunderhead and the rest of the Fanged Beasts helping the dockworkers load the many, MANY crates they were taking with them to the new world.

“Felynes first!” Dabii said instantly, getting looks from Navirou and the other Felyne.

“Right!” Katsuki said, grinning at them. “Out of the six of you, Navirou is bunking with me, meaning you can choose to be together or apart.” she explained, making the group of Felynes blink before starting to talk amongst themselves.

“While their sorting that, Dabii!” she called, the rotund boy flinching as she looked at him. “Your room is next to Hamshank’s in the Konopi Island section, where the tropical monsters will be residing. it feels just like Konopi Village in terms of temperature so you should be used to it. Eye Eye will take you there when he’s done helping the others load.” She said, pointing to the Ketcha Watcha with a grin as Dabii sighed, nodding. “Next, Avinia!” she said, grinning. “Your room is about two doors down from Frostfang’s, as this is in the snowplains section. As it's colder than normal there and you’ve been living on an island for a few months, i moved you a bit away as to make sure you could adjust before moving closer to him.” She said, getting a grateful nod from her. “Cheval, Rathi is in the Konopi Island section like Hamshank for the sole reason it's like a warmer Monsoon Plains, her home territory, and she’s been living in a desert with you meaning she’s used to the het, though i did give her a bathing pool to help her moisten her scales up again.” She mused, looking at Cheval as he winced.

“I tried to give her oil rubs once a week, it's hard to get out in Alberax.” He muttered.

“And she appreciates it, but sometimes water is better.” Katsuki said, grinning as she waved them onto the Zorah’s Child, letting them move towards the ship as she spoke to the genetically altered Felynes to hear their answers, directing them to where they would be sleeping soon after.

And like that, their journey began.


	3. Interlude: Monstie Mixups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into the lives of the Monsties on their way to the new world!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait.... Didnt know anyone was interested. I'll finish uploading the last of the original chapters today.

**Monstie Mixups**

  
  


**Honey Hoarding**

“so,” Baloo said, leaning back on the ship’s bar, watching the canteen with impassive eyes as he held his mug, a barrel about the size of a felyne, in one paw, the sloshing honey mead inside tickling his nose. “We have a problem. There’s not enough honey on this tub for all of us, at least not if we want to have a good time AND have it last to the new world.” the Azuros muttered, looking at his fellow drinkers. Despite being one of the weakest, he was also one of Katsuki’s first monsters, making him a source of wisdom for the ones who came after. “Any suggestions on what to do?”

“Well,” Bluefin, the Cephadrome leader, started. “There's only a few of us that have the craving, thanks to our Honey Power gene. Maybe keep it just to us? I get we need to save some for Boss, Mega Potions are important after all, and taste good besides.” he stated, getting grunts of agreement from the other patrons at the bar. He paused, taking a sip of honey mead from the bowl Baloo had gotten for him, before continuing. “Set a barrel or two aside, make sure that we have enough for emergency crafting, and horde the others away like a Yian Guarga?”

“Don’t let Amethyst hear you say that,” Kitten muttered, the Nargakuga lapping from her own bowl. “Stereotype or not, we’re never going to hear the end of it if she starts screaming at us.”

“Your right we won't,” Ares, the magma tigrex, chuffed. “Because we’ll be driven deaf by her screeches before she’s done!” he grinned, sharp teeth glinting in the light as he clicked his bowl with Baloo’s mug, a chuckle on the bear’s lips.

“Fair enough,” Bluefin nodded. “Stereotypes aside, I think my idea is the best we’re going to get here. the only question is which of us is going to be the one hiding it.”

“Not it,” Baloo muttered, shaking his head. “When you're looking for honey, everyone always looks at the Arzuros.”

“Well I can't keep it in my den, the others will get it.” Bluefin shot back, making the others nod. despite being the only Cephadrome with honey power of his pack, the others were notorious snoopers.

“My den is too hot.” Ares muttered. “It would boil away.”

“I guess that leaves it to me.” Kitten sighed, shaking her head. “Oh Emerald is never going to let me hear the end of this if it gets out.” she muttered, taking her bowl in a claw before downing the Honey Mead in a single go, leaving the bowl on the counter as she stalked off, her shape dimming too be almost invisible in the dim lighting of the ship as her Stealth skill activated.

“.... Do you think we should have brought some hives to keep this from happening?” Ares muttered, looking at Baloo.

“Nah,” Baloo grinned, wiping his face with the back of his paw. “Then Katsuki would have asked me to bring my horde of beekeeping boxes onboard! If I did that, how could I have hidden them in my room?” he asked, startling his other two drinking friends into spontaneous laughter as Baloo grinned, leaning back as he drained his mug before walking over to the barrel for a refill.

**Pest Control**

“Why do I have to have a flea bath? This is humiliating!” Bolt whined, the massive Ziongre sitting in a pool of electrically charged water as Thunderhead watched carefully, eyes narrowing.

“You brought Thunderbugs on the ship. the summarily invaded every electrical monster’s dens and buried themselves in our fur, scales, or feathers.” The Raijaing said casually, meaty arms crossed as he leaned against a nearby wall, horns scraping the ceiling. “Moby and Leviathan both wanted to rip you apart for that. Their scales have been itching since we left port and no amount of bathing would get them out. it took getting sandblasted by the Sand Rangers,” he muttered, face turning to distaste at the group name the Cephadromes, besides the sane and suffering Bluefin, had named themselves. “to get them all out. They were more humiliated and uncomfortable then you are now. We’re also checking Draco for the same thing, to make sure he didn't bring any Dracobugs with him.”

“That… makes me feel a little better.” Bolt muttered, sighing as the water moved over his sides, the freezing liquid making him shiver as his Thunderbugs all but exploded, the salt water from the ocean taking all of their charge and spreading it out, leaving them chargeless and dead as they fell into the water. “I just wish it wasn't so cold!”

“Oh, that was thanks to the Khezu. Vamp was especially unhappy with you, so he asked Iceburg to get the water for the bath.” Thunderhead said calmly, earning a yelp from Bolt.

“The Zamitros?! No wonder I'm freezing my fur off in here!” He barked, fangs bared in anger.

“None of that.” Thunderhead said, looking at the fanged wyvern who sighed. “until you get more members you and Drago are under my command. you know the rules.”

“Yeah yeah, unless you have three members of your genus in the menagerie permanently, you fall under the most alike creatures in the hierarchy.” Bold muttered. “Hopefully she gets some new fanged wyverns in the new world.”

“We can only hope.” Thunderhead nodded, just as tired of being in charge of the dragon as he was being under his rule.

“So, is anyone going to do anything about the fucking packs?” Bolt asked, referring to the Raptor Bird Wyvern’s packs of their lesser species, which they kept around to hunt for supplies for them whenever they went out. While on the boat, this amounted to the smaller, stupider raptors getting into trouble as the big ones tried to wrangle them in.

“There is no exterminating those pests, unfortunately.” Thunderhead sighed. “Just grin and bear it, and hope their dumb enough to snatch scraps from Cipactli.” the Rajang uttered, smirking as bolt let out a bark of laughter.

“We can only hope.”

**Hunting for sport and fun**

_ slowly, ever so slowly the hunter stalks his prey. gently moving over the soft snow, making sure to never let a peep out of his body as he approached closer and closer to his chosen meal. The large prey beast was ignorant of his approach, casually grazing on the frozen stipp plants as he prepared himself, tensing his muscles before he lunged, roaring out of the bushes as his target turned, panic in its eye- _

Chaser’s internal monologue cut itself off as, with a roar of anger and annoyance, his ‘prey’ flipped high into the air with a pair of electrically charged tusks, the Tigrex screaming in pain as Wooly, the electric element popo, huffed and turned back around, continuing his grazing as the observers, a pair of Khezu, laughed uproariously.

“Nearly had him this time Chaser!” the Crimson Khezu, Vamp, laughed uproariously. “at least until he slammed his horns into your gut, again!”

“Stuff it you leeches.” Chaser muttered, pulling his head from the snowbank he had landed in. “I am a ferocious hunter damnit!”

“Not ferocious enough to deal with a Popo apparently!” the normal Khezu, Wraith, cackled. “Isn't that supposed to be your species’ thing, man?”

“I swear I will clamber up that wall and beat both of your skulls in!” chaser growled, anger filling hsi veins as he began circling under them in the snow, a predatory grace and anger letting him move almost as smoothly as a nargacuga. “And don't think i won't either!”

“Well we don't need to worry about that then!” Vamp said, smirking. “All it takes is one good shock to send you flying!”

As the crimson leech laughed, Chaser noticed something behind them, smirking as he saw a flicker of fire.

“Well, I don't really have to do anything” he mused, catching both of their attentions as they looked at him.

“What are you talking about.” wraith scoffed. “Not even you can throw a stone from down there up here.”

“No, I just have to distract the two of you from the fact you're sitting on Harley’s feeding trough.” Chaser said, amused, as both Khezu froze and slowly turned their heads to look behind them.

There, a Bullfango grunted, her eyes alight with flame as fire licked her tusks, her body already in charging position as both of the terrifying dragons screamed like little girls, wrapping each other in their wing arms as she charged, a blast of fire impacting both of them like a missile as they were sent flying into a distant snowbank, leaving Chaser cackling from where he had watched as Harley simply settled in and began digging for her truffles and grubs.

  
  


**Mittens Mysteries**

Many things could be called mysterious on the Zhora’s child as of late. Why the honey had disappeared their third day at sea, making Katsuki all but pull her hair out at the resource vanishing as she crafted a supersize mega potion after a Lagiacrus attack, easily routed, that had injured more monsters then she had potions for. Kitten had fessed up to it later, with Balloo backing her. they hadn't thought such an old monster would attack them and had taken it for themselves. Another one was the smaller bird wyverns nearly getting themselves eaten after someone had told them Cipactli had been willing to share with them, the dumb things almost going through with it before their wiser counterparts reeled them in. A particularly curious one had the Khezu brothers with scorched tails so bad they couldn't hang upside down for a week, and Chaser laughing at them every time. but no, none of these were the true mystery.

The real mystery was how the stable paw, Mittens, had not died yet.

It was true rider monsters were more gentle and thoughtful then their wild counterparts, as shown by the multiple species getting along in at least semi-harmony on the ship, but a Feyline being able to maneuver around the ship, talk down to incredibly strong monsters, and come out on top? it was almost unheard of.

“Cipactli,” Mittens said, paws on her hips as she LOOKED at the deviljho, making the hungry monster whine at her. “one serving is enough. I made sure it was packed with everything you need for a day, and even made it tasty. Don’t test me on this.” she said, a paw waving at his nose as he huffed, pouting. “now, back to your room. you have breathing exercises to work through.” she said, smiling as the massive pickle wandered off down the hall towards his room, sighing as he left her vision. “There's one problem child dealt with. now to check on the other two.” she muttered.

Mittens loved her job, seeing the different side to these creatures astounded her, and made her grateful for the chance to go to the New World with them. But sometimes, like now, she got exhausted with it. She was currently taking care of three problem children. Cipactli, who she had already dealt with, Inferno, her most temperamental charge, and Blizzard. her most stubborn. With another sigh she went through the ship, passing monsters multiple times her size with a smile and cheerful greeting that they ended to wave to, some bowing their heads and others just smiling at her even as she made her way to the hottest part of the ship. it was made to simulate a volcano, without the lava flows thankfully. it was hot enough that she was sweating within seconds, but it ultimately helped keep the ship running.

The monsters that lived here needed the heat to thrive, and the fact dead center of it was the boiler room severely cut down the need for coal to turn the ship’s steam engine. all it needed was fresh seawater, which was poured in every morning from the lagiacrus feeding with barrels on their backs, and the steam would then rush through the engine, giving them a few hours worth of movement before the next monster feeding/ Cipactli, surprisingly, swam just as well as the leviathans in its hunt for food, and the extra barrels it filled tended to last them through the night.

And, no matter the time of day, her charge could be found here either pacing or sulking.

“Inferno?” she meowed, walking into the room as she looked at the sight of her charge and sighed.

Inferno was a large-for-his-species Teostra, a master of fire and blastblight that had no eaquel besides their mates, the mysterious Lunastra. So mysterious in fact, that Inferno was never able to find one on the island that wasn't taken out outside of his age group. Being hatched out of season by Katsuki didn't help that, but he didn't blame her for it. His life partner just wasn't there. His size, while proof of his power, made him a bit of an outcast for his strength. The fact he smelled of humans hadn't helped at all. In time, it had just seemed like he wouldn't get a mate unless Katsuki found a Lunastra egg.

Which did not appear anywhere she looked.

Now thoroughly depressed, Inferno had resigned himself to spending his life alone. This trip was his last hope. If Katsuki couldn't find a Lunastra egg then he would entirely give up hope and probably refuse to eat. Nobody wanted that, not even the big cat’s self proclaimed rival Blizzard. Unfortunately Inferno was a prideful beast, and any attempt by anyone not mittens to get closer to him to care for him was met with fire and anger. That left it as her duty to feed him and make sure he ate. and that was what she was here to do.

Looking at his dinner plate, she scowled. “Inferno, that's barely halfway finished. if you're going to start eating at least have the decency to finish it.” she said, looking at the Elder Dragon as he huffed and turned his head, ignoring her completely as she scowled. “Inferno. you know it's for your own good. Either you eat or I have to force feed you again.” she said, pointing a claw at the big cat dragon who growled, but relented, moving to his plate of spiced meats to finish his meal as she nodded. Good. now for the hard part. “We’re still a few weeks from landfall, meaning you won't be out to explore the skies after another two.” she said, getting a groan from him as she shook her own head. “All monsters are recalled inside the ship until introduction can be made before we make port. if they see dragons flying around and landing they’ll think we’re under attack and come armed to bare.” she said, getting another long suffering groan from the Elder as she sighed. “I know you don't really care about humans but Katsuki thinks it's important.” she said, earning a huff before he turned his tail, flicking it at her as a sign to leave as she nodded, giving him a farewell as she began moving towards the most northward part of the ship.

Soon, she found herself at the bow of the ship, her fur fluffing as she felt herself shiver in the cold, looking at the cave in the ice she was going to enter with a shake of her head as she slipped inside, her last charge putting on a great show of annoyance as winds whipped past her at high speed.

Blizzard, a Kushala Daora, was isolationist by nature. He didn't enjoy anyone coming to his territory besides Katsuki, and he to;;erated Mittens. He let her know just how much tolerance he had for her a day by the strength of his winds.

Today it was a gust that made her fur go straight behind her and barely made her feet move. A weak wind. He was having a good day.

“Blizzard!” she called, watching his head look at her as she noticed his plate picked clean. good. “I'm glad to see your well! Katsuki told me to tell you to get any flying done in two weeks before packing it in! we have a lot of hunters in the town we’re going to, and more than a few have killed elder dragons before. don't get them worked into a fight.`` she said, hands on her hips as her charge grunted, relenting as she continued looking. with a smile, her paws left her hips. “Good! I'll be sure to tell her you're cooperating. I have to say your the best behaved of my three charges.” she said, smiling widely as he puffed up in pride, the cold dragon enjoying her praise just a bit before she walked out of the cave, a sigh of relief on her lips.

“Three for three. not to go make sure Capactil has been meditating.” She said, smiling a bit to herself.

A Stablepaw’s work was never done.


	4. Chapter 2: Explosive Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title kind of says it all dosnt it.

Once again during this trip, the ship was in danger. Only this time, instead of being some raging dragon they just happened to cross paths with, it was internal. Specifically, Katsuki was getting cabin fever.

“I don't get it!” she yelled, ranting as she walked around the deck in a huff, the other riders just staying silent as they kept on their jobs. Cheval was playing lookout, the red haired teen casually ignoring her rants with the ease of a long time friend, following Lillia’s trend. The researcher herself was currently heading the ship, keeping them in the right currents and on the right path even as she ranted and raved. “You guys told me almost a month ago now we were two weeks out! I put away all of my partners for that exact reason! it is now coming onto day 30 since you said that!”

“To be fair,” Daabi said, casually going over their cargo manifest. “it probably has something to do with wanting to arrive after the fifth fleet and whatever elder their tailing. We’re about half a day out behind them so we don't get involved with whatever happens when it hits landfall.”

“I know that but it's still sooo haaaaard!” Katsuki whined, falling to her back on the deck to skywatch as she did so. “I mean we’re almost there! I can see it on the horizon even without Cheval’s fancy spyglass! Why can't we just hurry uuuup?!” she whined.

“Because if we arrive before the Fifth,” Lillia started, before everyone else, including atsuki, replied.

“Then we have to risk the monster’s health while we try to explain.” everyone else groaned, Avinia looking up from the Logbook she had been keeping.

“Honestly Kat, you could stand to act your age.” she said, earning a snort from Cheval she ignored. “Just another day or two, probably not even that! We’re almost there so just take it easy and don't try to rush it. Maybe go play Exploding Blackjack with the monsters.” Avina said, making everyone wince as a perfectly timed blast went off, followed by a roar of outrage and several laughs from below, showing that the latest round of the odd card game had ended.

Somehow, Hammer the Uuraggan had managed to convince nearly every monster with some kind of workable hand to join in on a game of his own creation. It was normal blackjack, for the most part, but if you lost 3 rounds in a row you got one of his bomb orbs for a consolation prize, toned down by his lack of explosive materials in his diet it normally only made hair blow back and black soot to cover your face.

“I’m banned from that.” Katsuki said tiredly. “I kept winning and they got tired of being blasted.”

“Luck of a Kirin.” Cheval mused, looking through the spyglass at the darkening sky, frowning as he saw the waters starting to get rougher around the Fifth ship. “Hey guys? did we ever get told what kind of Elder their tracking?”

“Come to think of it, it's not in the notes.” Lillia mused, looking next to her to the equally confused Avinia. “Anything in the notes?”

“Not even a size mentioned. just that they were tracking an elder dragon.” Avinia said, looking to Cheval. “What do you see?”

“Looks like rough seas. Could be nothing. Could be a- SHIT!” he finished, diving under the crowsnest as everyone stared in awe and horror, watching the sea erupt into a moving MOUNTAIN of a dragon. “That's a Zhora Magdaros! they were following that?!” he yelled, looking back over the lip of the nest.

“Everyone!” Katsuki parked, making everyone look at her. “no time for holding back, get that steam engine running at full speed NOW. we’re going in to help look for injured and lost.”

“Yes Ma’am!” Lillia responded first, moving to a nearby phonograph-like horn. “Attention all monsters, Attention all monsters. The Fifth Fleet have encountered catastrophic damage, we are moving in to assist.”

*****************

_ “all available swimmers to the cannon ports to dive when ready, _ ” her voice rang out to the suddenly scrambling monsters down below, each of them moving to different areas as Inferno roused himself from his drowsing. “ _ this is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill! human and felyne lives on the line here guys and girls, get moving! Inferno! Full speed!” _ the voice commanded, the Teostra chuffing before inhaling deeply, his wings flaring behind him as he let out a bellow of flame into the steam pipes, watching them actually glow as the heat forced the steam to the engines, making them move as fast as they could without breaking an axle as he settled back, readying another breath as Eye Eye, the Ketcha Wetcha, ran into the rome to start filling the water trough, more and more water producers following it so he had a constant steam line even as the Lagicurus and Royal Ludroth began making their way up. All four leviathans were in business mode, Moby and Levi both curling around their holes to keep eyes out as Noble and Toxica both prepared to dive at a moment's notice. Of the four of them the ludroth were better surface swimmers, leaving the Lagi to the depths.

“ **Hey,”** Toxica muttered, looking out her cannon port as the other leviathans looked at her. “ **are we really ready for this? Doing this off an unknown landmass might not be as easy as doing drills in the open ocean.** ” the Purple Ludroth said, making the others pause and consider.

“ **Ccordin to the reports,** ” her cousin, as she considered the Royal to be, responded in his typical twang. “ **Closest thing they got to a leviathan round here is a psciene. your telling me you don't think you could out blast one of the Rangers?** _ ” _

“ **not the rangers, there are creatures we don't know about here!** ” Toxica shot back, shoving her counterpart. “ **who knows what their strengths and weaknesses are?!** ”

“ **Enough, both of you.”** Moby said calmly, her voice almost a songlike croon. “ **We'll be careful, Toxica, thank you for your input.** ”

“ _ underwater teams look alive! we’re pulling up alongside the wreck now! Zora is already heading inland and the ship looks like it's being dragged to port with how damaged it is. Your job is survivors. now get moving! _ ” Lillia shouted. “ _ engine teams to half steam! we want to rescue these people, not run them over! _ ”

at her words the monsters dived, the Ludroth immediately taking two people by the collar they found on the surface, clinging to the wood with wide, horrified eyes even as their jaws latched on gently and began dragging them back to the boat, and the monster sized rope ladders leading back to their ports they had kicked out upon their dive. the moment they were at the ladders they let go, urging the two confused but alive hunters up the ladders, using those odd little slingers that Katsuki had turned down to get them up faster.

Below, on the other hand, was rougher. The two Lagi were moving as fast as they could through the rip currents something that large leaving the water made as they looked for hunters and helpers, even looking for the odd palico as they moved through the multiple coral reefs that dotted the coast, the massive organic constructs almost like barriers as they moved quickly, snatching up a few heavily armored hunters as well as a few palico and taking them to the surface, starting back towards the child as they moved as fast as they could.

“They're not pulling out many. do you think most made it out?” Katsuki said, looking over the edge with a worried look as she saw the first of the humans get to the cannon port, looking up at her leaning form wide eyed. Her pigtails bobbed as she gestured to get into him. “HURRY IT UP HUNTER, YOU HAVE OTHERS ON THAT ROPE BEHIND YOU WAITING FOR YOUR HEAVY ASS TO MOVE!” she barked, making the man yelp and climb towards the opening faster.”ONCE YOU LOT ARE UP HERE ONE OF YOU REMAIN TO GET THE OTHERS TO THE DECK, THE REST OF YOU UP HERE FOR TREATMENT! Avinia, we good on Hot Drinks?” she asked, making the girl nod.

“We didn't know the climate so we stocked up on ice flowers and hot peppers both.” the girl said, looking to Daabi for confirmation.

“Exactly right.” Daabi said, looking at the inventory. “And while some have been sacrificed as spices, most are still there, as are our supply of the drinks themselves.”

“Good.” katuski said, looking to Cheval. “Get on Rathi and help the Ludroth look, a bird's eye view can't hurt.” she said, the lookout nodding as he began running down the stairs, turning to Lillia. “Lil, phone.” she said, earning a look as she turned the flower-like head towards her. “Right. Ratha! coordinate the monsters to get supplies moved, i want hot drinks up here stat! we need to get these people warmed up before frostbite can set in.” she said, the sound of startled shouts and swearing even audible up here as Cheval burst from a cannon slot on dragonback, his Rathian partner moving as fast as she could to make sure the Ludroth got as many as possible.

A few moments later Baloo stomped up to the deck, followed by wide eyed hunters, handlers, and even a few felyne as the massive bear set down the box as gentle as he could before getting on all fours and rushing back downstairs even as Katsuki kicked the crate open, revealing the stacks of hot drinks they had come prepared with as she and Daabi began handing them out.

They would save as many as they could from this catastrophe, and hope they hadn't just ruined any sense of explaining with their actions.

*********************

“So, let me see if I have this strait.” an older man, grey in the temple but obviously in charge, said slowly. “you came from a continent written off by the hunter’s guild for some kind of madness, riding in the Zhora’s child of all things, with a ship full of monsters that not only listen to you teenagers, but willingly rescued hunters, handles, and even felynes.” he said slowly, eye twitching as he looked over the five young adults in front of him with disbelief and anger. “and that doesn't even explain anything! Who gave you your assignment, who told you that we needed your assistance?!” he ranted, the five sharing very… different reactions. Avinia and Daabi were both looking away, as if annoyed or despondent, as Cheval and Lillia both looked head on in defiance. The oddest was, as per usual, Katsuki. She was playing with the base’s Poogi, smiling as she rubbed its tummy and had it all but squealing in joy as the commander’s eye twitched, looking dead at her. “and you! who even are you that you act like this?!” he all but demanded, the other four teens sighing in unison as they looked at their impromptu leader with exasperation, knowing what usually came after that.

“who am i?” katsuki said, grin wide as she spun in place, her normal everyday hunting leathers vanishing to reveal she was now in a Kimono, a fan in her hand and geta of all things on her feet, standing straight up with the fan unfolded in front of her face. “i am the girl of a thousand faces,” she cooed, before twirling again to reveal she was now in very heavy urragan armor, a massive hammer in her hands. “Killer of a thousand Monsters!” another quick change, this time rathian-scale dress that looked almost like a ball gown as she curtsied. “The Belle of a thousand Balls.” she purred, before going back to her normal hunter leathers with a proud, heroic pose. “I am the wild child of Pondry Hills! Katsuki Khaos! And you will remember me as the best damn rider in the world!” she said, grinning, as the commander’s eye twitched before taking a long, deep breath, fingers firmly clamped on the bridge of his nose.

“I see.” he seethed, breathing deep before exhaling, looking at the people gathered for shipwreck treatment she had helped off her temporary home. “i…. suppose I can't fault you for eccentricities, all the best hunters have them, but if you think I'm not going to put you to work you are severely mistaken. You're going to have to earn your place and trust here, you and your monsters both.” the commander said, looking at all of them before nodding out the door. “For now, lets see how you do in an unfamiliar environment. more than a few of the Hunters that were supposed to be here escaped via wingdrake, but we believe they are now lost in the ancient forest. find them.” he said, making the teens grin at each other as they all moved towards the ship, leaving Lillia behind to smile at the commander.

“Commander, I am Lillia Hills, your new leasion between yourself and the Riders.” she said, smiling. “Any question, any task, any request. I will ask it of them toute sweet, or tell you the answer myself if I know.” she said, curtsying.

“Good. first question. pigtails.” he said, motioning towards the ship.”what’s her story.”

“Ah, the most asked question on our continent.” Lillia said, smiling fondly. “Noone really knows where Katsuki came from. she lives alone in the village and wherever she goes, and even when we were young she was found by the elder at our doorstep. All we know is she is the best rider since Redan himself, and has taken on challenges much tougher than the mission you have just given them.” he grinned.

“we’ll see. underestimate this place at your own peril.” the commander said calmly, nodding to her as he turned to start heading towards his map room. “Come now, let's discuss what all your group is able to do, and all of their little quirks, in my Command area, Introduce you to the others while I'm at it.”

**************

“Ooooh! im all excited!” Katsuki said, smiling as she hefted her bg of supplies, grinning wide as she started looking over her kinship stone. “New land, new monsters! i wonder what all i can find in this place!” she said, looking over the small map they had of the Ancient Forest. “looks relatively unexplored, but heavily forested. Climbers, Flyers, and general speed is needed.” she mused, smiling even as she looked at her kinship stone, accessing a screen only she could see as she looked at its six empty slots. “Lets see…. Ratha for sure, i can't go anywhere without the big lug, Ares for climbing and if i run into anything dangerous….” she mused, moving the two symbols for both her soul bound partner and her Molten Tigrex into the line, looking at the others before frowning. “I'm going on an S and R mission, so I need a tracker. Monster Search only goes in a few, and I'm not bringing out all the big guns for this… Hah! Cloak will do.” she mused, moving the Shrouded Nerscylla into the list. “After that, something to break rocks and scare off anything that gets a bit too close for comfort…” she mused, moving towards her list of mega breakers only to frown. “All high level high rank…. best to underplay for now.” she sighed, shaking her head as she looked to her rock breakers.”Ah, Balloo! give him some exercise, and find some new honey sources while i'm at it!” she said, smiling as she moved him in. “Kitten for stealth, and that makes five. last, I should probably get a jumper. Elders know how much I hated Chelion because I couldn't explore unless I brought one.” she mused, looking over her list. ”hmmmmm…. Bolt could use a run, He needs cheering up after being cooped up on the ship the entire time.” She mused, grinning as she locked in her last member, locking her stone as six roars rang through the ship, before fight lights streaked from across the ship and secured themselves in his kinship stone, ratha rlanding behind her with a dragonic grin. 

“Lets go, Pawtner!” Navirou called, coming from a nearby door and landing on Ratha’s shoulders, getting a look from the annoyed wyvern.

“Where did you come from?” Katsuragi asked, smiling to her companion as she handed him her bag. “Your nose for adventure tingle again?”

“no, just my ear for rumors. heard the riders were coming out to play, so I came to support my pawtner!” navirou replied, grinning as she copied his enthusiasm.

“Well then, let's go! to the new world!” Katsuragi replied, grinning as she lept on ratha’s shoulders, the third member of their trio roaring and launching himself from the window, earning a pair of excited yells as he flew out over the front gate, into the New World.

Their latest adventure.

Elders help that continent.


	5. Chapter 3: The Jester's Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look at the world of riders, and the knowledge within

As Ratha took to the skies, Katsuki’s grin widened, steering her partner towards the front gate around the city. She knew that no matter how accepted they were, monsters flying over the city started, a survival instinct in any true hunter. it never ended well, bringing monsters through the streets of a city that wasn't her home. Konopi Felynes normally scrambled to run, and anywhere NOT Alberax tended to get up in arms at the first sight of a monster, at least until they saw her. Alberax just kindly asked her not to, especially as they eyed Tyrant. The city had history with Diabolos, she knew, so she didn''t blame them.

Shaking her head, she turned her thought process back to their current job, being joined in the air by Cheval and Avinia, the trio swooping low so that they could meet Daabi as he rushed out the front gates, Hamshank pawing the ground as they stopped, nose sniffing the ground even as Daabi’s eyes watched the skies and the trees.

“All right everyone, job duty.” Katsuki said, looking at the group. “Cheval, treetops. Rathalos may be king of the skies but their maneuverability is outmatched by a Rathian. Avinia, the trees. Barioth tend to leap around cliffs and stone, trees this big aren't that different.” she listed, wincing as she turned to look at Daabi. “Daabi…”

“I know, I know, monster bait.” Daabi said, waving his hand as Katsuki winced harder. “Most monsters don't know what a Great Poogie is, or how fast it can move. they’ll chase me, not any hunters they have in their sights. I lead them on for a bit then we book it. same as every SnR mission we’ve done.”

“Im sorry,” Katsuki started, Daabi shaking his head as he held up his hand.

“No apologies. We all have our jobs. You have one I wouldn't want at all, flying over open areas. Lots of chances for you to get knocked out of the skies. The rest of us can at least find hiding places.” Daabi said, the other two nodding and looking at Katsuki who just smiled weakly.

“You know not to worry. Just feel sorry for any monster that tries to outmatch Ratha in combat.” Katsuki said, Cheval just chuckling and shaking his head as he patted Rathi’s head.

“We can remember that much.” he said, earning a wince from Avinia and Daabi.

“Right.” Katsuki said, shaking her head. “Wasting daylight people, remember, rider rule 1.” she said, the rest of the joining in. “Take what you need, nothing more.”

“We get this every mission.” Daabi said, smirking. “It's why I don't just rip through the monsters chasing Hamshank and me. Life is precious, so you only hunt what you need, nothing more, nothing less.” He lectured, in a passable mimic of Lilia’s own lecturing tone of voice as the others grinned like the young adults they were, before Avinia shook her head and snapped her fingers, gathering their attention. 

“Right. That's enough talking.” Avinia said, Frostfang taking to the air. “We come back here in three hours, bringing any we find with us. after that, the sun starts going down. Rule 5.” She said, looking pointedly at Katsuki who pouted.

“Never Stay in the Unknown overnight.” the others said, Katsuki a bit saddened, the other two nodding sagely.

“Once we explore more, we can stay out later. but we don't stay out after dark just in case this place has anything like the stronger monsters of the harsher lands.” Cheval said, Katsuki looking at him with narrowed eyes.

“I do it one time,” Katsuki muttered. “and you guys never let me live it down. It's not like I actively seek danger, it just finds me.”

“Says the girl known for finding eggs no one else has even hatched before. Which included you diving into lava with an experimental suit, and doing the same with a pool of almost frozen water.” Cheval said, making Katsuki blush. “Just as long as you didn't bring anything worse than Ratha, you shouldn't get too much attention.”

“I have Ares for emergencies.” Katsuki muttered, tapping her fingers together as the others looked at her, incredulous.

“And just like that, I'm avoiding the plains like the plague.” Cheval said, taking to the air. “at least it wasn't Magma or Frostbite.”

“Don't joke, I would rather NOT deal with those beasts.” Avidia shot back, taking towards the trees as Daabi, realizing he was alone and in Ares range, slapped Hamshank on the back as it took off with a squeal like strained rubber, taking off into the forest as Katsuki pouted.

“They're not that bad.” she muttered, leaping onto Ratha’s back as they took to the air. “their just… Collateral Damage challenged.”

“Those two couldnt fight an Apanoth without setting a field on fire, or freezing it.” Navirou muttered, earning a grunt of agreement from Ratha as Katsuki pouted harder.

“I’ll have you know they’ve gotten much better!” Katsuki proclaimed, even as she watched the ground pass below them. “Now they only destroy the area around their target instead of the general area.” she said, looking down as she noticed odd hard headed creatures below her. “Hey, what do you think those are?”

“Smell like Herbivores to meow.” Navirou said, taking a whiff. “Males and Females… built bulky, but they would be rideable… maybe…. though from the looks of it, I don't think they would work with a saddle. Might be a good idea to grab an egg later? When we’re not on a rescue operation?” the cat muttered, before taking another wiff. “Eyes up! I smell bile and rotting meat.”

“A Deviljho? Here?!” Katsuki asked, wide eyed. “Did Capictil follow us?”

“No, and it doesn't have the same stench as a Deviljho. It just has the same type meaning its a messy eater.” The Felyne muttered, looking down just in time to go stiff, whiskers out. “And i just found it.” he said, voice shaking a bit as Katsuki looked down, body almost seizing in shock.

It was bright yellow, with stripes across its body and a blue stomach, dreadlocks falling round its head as it swallowed an Apanoth whole, jaw stretched wide as it swallowed up its prey.

“What in the world…..” Katsuki muttered, feeling Ratha tense under her. “No, never mind. Send up a yellow flare, but keep moving. It’ll keep Daabi out of here.” she muttered, as Navirou took the flare gun from Ratha’s saddle, firing a yellow flare in the air that the other Riders would see. Yellow meant ‘Air Only’, meaning there was something on the ground dangerous or to be avoided. Daabi had already said he would avoid the plains, but this…. if it thought it could get a Great Poogie down, it would be dangerous. Of course, Hamshank would trample it if it tried, but it could still be more dangerous for ground bound monsters than airbound.

“Making a note of it.” Navirou muttered, bringing out a book as he opened a new entry, a blank page, where he began sketching an image of the beast in it as well as what it did. “Probably has monster sense, meaning it would replace Balloo for training purposes. What do you think the other would be?”

“You know I don't like trying to estimate what the ability is. it could be an entirely new one for all we know.” Katsuragi said, before pausing as she saw the engorged being waddle off, shaking her head at the ridiculousness. “What is that thing's metabolism if that's what it eats when it's hungry?” She muttered, continuing her flight as she watched the ground. “I don't even want to think what would happen if it weren't for the Felyne around.” she scowled, motioning with a hand to the cat-like beings hiding and watching, some with spears and bows, but others who looked like they belonged with the Commission.

“Good eye, pawtner. didn't even see them.” Navirou said, looking at the ground before pausing. “Look, it's another of those big yellow things!” He said, motioning to one that was charging… a human?!

“Oh dung! Dive Ratha, Dive!” she ordered, Ratha immediately flipping around to start descending beak first, streamlining themselves as they dove.

Only to notice a bright Red smoke trail heading right towards the charging monster.

Red smoke, ‘Hostile Monster, Fleeing.’

Right as she noticed that, Daabi appeared, snatching the woman from the side of the path and continuing towards the front gate, Hamshank squealing like it was possessed as a Brute Wyvern rushed from the foliage, snatching up the yellow creature and starting to throw it around like a ragdoll.

“Holy mother of- climb Ratha! Climb!” Katsuki said, eyes wide as Ratha began rapidly gaining air, Katsuki watching behind them as she noticed another person watching the fight, trying to find an opening to get into Asteria. “Dung dung dung dung!” she growed, whipping Ratha around to aim at the massive monster brawl. “Boot to the head!” she ordered, Ratha immediately starting to dive as the person made their move, diving under the sweeping tail for the door and locking it behind them.

Right as Ratha impacted the Brute’s head, blasting it onto its side as it's thoroughly thrashed prey scrambled away, Ratha immediately moved back towards the sky as the hit and run maneuver ended.

“Come on then!” Katsuki roared, the staggered creature looking up to see her and Ratha in the air, eyes narrowing as it coiled to leap. “Let's see how strong you ar- DUNG!” she roared, panic in her voice as Ratha performed an aerial maneuver, dodging to the side as the Brute launched itself a good two stories into the air, just missing its bite as it roared in anger. “Got some legs on you, don't cha?” she called, grinning as it started chasing after them. “Lets see how long until we can wear you out! Ratha, evasive maneuvers!” she ordered, Ratha immediately starting to strafe and spin as they continued out over the plains, pulling into a nearby tree to break line of sight before blasting out the other side, the two ignoring how the Brute blasted through said tree like it was kept together by sap alone.

“This isn't gonna work, pawtner!” Navirou said, looking down before screaming as Rahta dodged another leap, his time nearly losing his whiskers as fire shot from the Brute’s nose. “It knows the area better. and we can't dodge all its attacks! Ratha would get too tired!”

“Well, what do you suggest!” Katsuki shot back, eyes darting around before she saw something. “Is that the yellow lizard? Did we ever decide what type it was?”

“Could be a Leviathan with that body type, but it seems unlikel- DON'T DISTRACT ME!” Navirou almost screamed, looking back just in time to see the Brute with wings spreading from its hips. “It seems like cat and meowse is over! Its prepping for this next jump!”

“Is that…? Ratha, Dive!” she ordered, pointing to a hole where the yellow monster had just dug its way into, the stones around it in a circle marking it as, even if hidden, a Den. “It can't follow us in there, it's too big!”

“I don't think it needs to, it breathes fire!” Navirou shot back.

“It’s a Den, Navirou!” Katsuki said, grinning as hope entered the felynes eyes. Monsters seemed to have a co-habilitation agreement with Dens, albeit with a few rules. Inside, fighting amongst wild monsters was not only forbidden, but punished. and if a monster with murder in its mind tried to enter….

“HURRY UP RATHA!” Navirou almost shouted, the wyvern immediately diving towards the now forming doorway even as the Brute lunged, passing right through the door just as it hit.

and stopped.

Navirou noted that it had just enough time to go wide eyed in instinctual terror before finding itself LAUNCHED backwards into a nearby tree and going THROUGH it, ending up on its side and groaning before they turned a corner, and they found themselves in a deep, lush jungle.

“Yup, definitely a Den.” Kasuki said, ginning as she got off Ratha’s back, popping her arms and flexing her fingers after the long flight.

The Rider Manual noted that Dens tended to be copycats, of sorts. They took copies of areas nearby, and filled themselves with what would be most natural for the Den’s first maker, followed by generating eggs for the most likely creatures from said general area. That was why, in the areas around Gildergarm, the Dens seemed so…. disjointed. It could choose from two different areas what would be there, and tried to make it as best it could for the digger.

This was something else. a Den made for a fleeing monster. A Personal Den. Whatever this odd yellow dragon was, this place was made for it, and it would have eggs of its species for it to guard. Noone knew why this was, perhaps it was to make them want to stay, perhaps it was to ensure the species lived on even if the injured one was to pass.

Either way, Riders had found out about these phenomena, and had been exploiting them ever since.

“Allright, Ratha. head up, body low. We don't know what's in here, so we need to be prepared for anything.” Katsuki muttered, starting forward towards the open pathways nearby, looking over the area for anything that might be good looting.

“Katsuki, we have a job!” Navirou muttered to her. “We can't waste time Den crawling!”

“It's not like we can go out there with the Brute breathing down our necks. We’ll explore the Den waiting for it to leave, and once it's gone so are we.” she said, looking at Navirou as he sighed, nodding.

“Fine, but nothing too risky!” the Felyne shot back, getting a nod from Katsuki as they crept deeper into the depths. 

The Den itself was impressive, even if it was a smaller than normal one. In a few moments Katsuki had scouted it out.

“Right,” she muttered, making notes. “Something that looked like Banabras the manual identified as Vespoid.” she muttered, kicking one of the semi-crushed bug carapaces as she finished harvesting from it, twirling her knife before putting it on her belt. “About three of them, with a small amount of parts because Ratha got too excited and blew one up.” she muttered, looking at the sheepish Wyvern before sighing, looking over the main body of the nest.

It was beautiful, even if a bit different from normal. Massive trees spanned the entire room, their stumps taking up the ceiling and their roots reaching out like a mangrove in the rich, brown spil. Pools of rainwater gathered under them, making small puddles that had green, soft to the touch moss growing over the entire floor like grass. Empty hornet-like nests hung in a few places under said roots, the nests that the Den had copied into existence based on what it had found when finding this place. An underground forest, just as impressive as the aboveground for the sheer complexity of its path.

“There is also an odd poogie-like monster I'm considering slaughtering, as I could use some raw meat for grilling and it seems to collect mushrooms.” Katsuragi continued narrating, ng as she wrote. It was a bad habit, one she had gotten into around the children of Alberax as they asked her for stories of her latest adventure. Ever since she got into the habit, almost every note was spoken aloud, even ones that probably shouldn't have been. He didn't know who was more mortified about her absentmindedly talking about when she had found a pair of diabolos mating in the sands, Him, Ratha, or the patents hearing her talk about it with children nearby. It certainly wasn't Katsuki, who just shelved it with her other memories and shrugged, claiming seeing it had been enlightening, if not a bit odd that they were doing it aboveground.

“Don't slaughter the pig, Katsuki.” Navirou said, sighing. “It might find us some better mushrooms around here.”

“But then where would i get the meat?” Katsuki asked, looking up from her book as Navirou sighed.

“Apanoth outside, Katsuki.” he muttered, making her nod and smile as she remembered cooking it up under the open sky during their first days of freedom.

“Fair point, the pig lives for another day.” Katsuki said, writing down their conversation before snapping the book closed, pocketing it, and striding towards the Nest room with purpose, making Navirou hiss.

“Katsuki!” he grunted. “We should go now!”

“It hasn't been nearly enough time for the Brute to have lost interest.” Katsuragi said, casually reaching into her bag to pull out her trusty Princess Rapier, the Rathian weapon tracing a line of purple through the air as she gave it a test swing before equipping her shield to her left arm, opposite of her Kinship Stone.

“You planned this.” Navirou accused. “You were going to go into this nest and get an egg even if that Brute hadn’t been on our tail.”

“it was a valid excuse.” Katsuki neither confirmed nor denied as Ratha followed along right behind her, eyes sharpening at the idea of a fight as his rider started to show her true colors.

Navirou sighed, knowing that posture, knowing even better that  _ look _ in Katsuki’s eyes. His pawtner was an actor, an incredible one at that. While she had more than a few truths in how she acted, like her care of her monsters and allies, and even her love of egg hunting, her carefree childish act was just that.

An act.

Not many ever got to see this side of her, besides her monsters and Navirou himself, but he knew better than to try and talk her out of the fight now.

“Come on, Ratha,” Katsuki said, a savage look in her eyes as her face twisted into a sickening grin, licking one of the thorns of her sword in a state of almost bliss. “Why don't we introduce the New World, to the true Wild Child.” she purred, eyes sharpening as she spied their prey.

The yellow lizard, passed out and covered in fang scars from its encounter with the Brute.

“Hmm… it's going to be hard to salvage that skin. all of the fang marks are going to make it almost unusable.” Katsuki pouted, looking at the nest as she blinked. Thunderbolts, sliding down the sides in multiple different colors, all on a backdrop of different shades of yellow. “Fanged Wyvern? My my, it looks like Bolt and Draco can finally have their own group.” Katsuki purred, sharp eyes moving back to her prey as she slowly took a rock from her pouch, a wicked grin crossing her face as she threw it as hard as she could, smacking the sleeping creature in the eyelid as it sat up with a roar, looking around for its assaulter and spotting them almost instantly, rushing towards them with speed Katsuki normally wouldn't have expected, if she didn't know it was a Fanged.

“Fanged,” Lilia lectured in her mind, even as she dodged to the side, eyes tracking the lizard as it all but slammed into the wall of the Den. “Are wyverns built to run across the ground. When angered, they are some of the fastest wyverns, almost as fast as a Tigrex at full run. They enjoy using their speed to their advantage, but they tend to have tricks up their sleeves. Watch out for unexpected angles of attack.”

“Elders, Lilia lectures me so much that she's in my head now.” Katsuki said, wide grin still on her face as she lunged at the recovering Fanged, her sword piercing its hide as she traced a line along its side, trying to get as much contact with its noxious thorns as possible, even as she leapt away for Ratha to charge in and slam into the wyvern like a truck, sending it skidding across the Den clearing. “Right, it attacked with speed first. if it attacks like that again we can assume that its speed focused, that’ll let us dance around it.” Katsuki muttered, watching the wyvern right itself and glare at the, casually checking her kinship stone to see about half of it lit up. “Ratha, i'm going to order a Thousand Blades.” she muttered, slipping into a technical stance as the monster ran forward, jaws agape as Ratha rushed to meet it, scales taking a dull yellow sheen for a few moments before he lept over its head and slashed at its back, multiple cuts appearing over its spine as it roared in pain right before Katsuki slammed her shield into its face, snapping its jaws shut painfully.

“Yup, you're a speed based little shit.” Katsuki said, smirking as she leapt back, Ratha flying over next to her as they entered their ready stances, her eyes narrowing as she saw its focus wasn’t on… either of them? “Right, no orders, do what you will.” she muttered, Ratha instantly starting to limber himself up and shake out, getting into an Evasive Stance as she rushed forward, jumping over the Fanged to make a slice at its back as she landed on its other side, watching in a mix of fascination and a bit of disgust as it snapped up a few plants and rocks, actually filling its stomach with indigestible debris in order to make itself bigger, its stomach expanding like when the first one had eaten that Aptonoth.

“What in the world?” she muttered, moving in for another overhead strike before she came face to skill with the back of its head, being sent skidding back as Ratha launched a Fireball at its face, making the Fanged groan in pain and anger. “Augh, sonnova-! you cut down your own speed in order to make yourself a harder hitter?!” she muttered, grabbing her bloody nose and making sure it wasn't broken even as she bounced backwards, looking at her kinship stone as she noticed the glow was about three fourths full. “Right. no more fucking around then.” She muttered, grinning as she stood, back straight and eyes sharp as she rolled her neck. Time to kick it up.

“COME ON THEN!” she roared, slamming her rapier’s hilt into her shield once, twice, thrice! the echoing sound of scale on metal resounding through the room like a hammer on stone as the monster’s attention locked onto her, ignoring her partner for the moment as she settled into a ready stance, eyes locked on it as it began rushing forward, jaws gaping wide.

A powerful strike.

easy pickings.

In a flash, she moved to the side, abandoning her guard in order to stand right next to its lunging position, rapier dragging a line across its side as she counterattacked, letting its own momentum dig her sword in as she saw the blood in the wound tinge purple. With a smirk she leapt back, watching as its eyes began to glow. Enraged.

In an instant, its swollen stomach contracted, sending a ball of half digested... material flying at her as she put up her shield. With a grunt of effort, she took the impact and skidded back, gagging as a fireball lanced into her attacker’s side as she glared at its once again thin form. Flexing her shield arm, she winced. Not broken, but she would definitely be feeling it for the rest of the day.

“So…” Katsuki purred, her grin coming back in full force. “you change between speed and power at the flip of a switch, and with how tough it was to pierce your scales when you were inflated like that,” she mused, putting all her power into her legs as she jumped over the speeding bullet that was the Fanged rushing at her, making a full body slash at its spine as she rolled down its tail before landing on her feet and turning to face her opponent. “you have slashing resistance there, and blunt resistance here. you don't have poison resistance though, or noxious poison either!” Katsuki said, her wild smile showing her pure joy in the fight as her kinship stone glowed brightly. It was time. “Well then, lets see how you do against fire.” she smirked, taking a running leap and landing on Ratha’s back as the dragon all but read her mind, sweeping under her leaping form so as they stood as one, their minds in sync as three eyes locked onto their prey, their target.

They couldn't hurt it too much, no no. They didn't want to damage the skin any more than it already had been. they should aim for the skull. Knock it around a few times, make it harder to think.

Knock it to the ground, then swoop in from above. 

With a twin smile, the two lunged, their movements in sync as the Fanged took a lunge at them, slipping to the side as their bladed tail and sword dug across its skin, leaving spines and poison as they saw their stone glow brighter.

Of course, this didn't matter as much to them as their opponent’s stumble to the ground, their combined attacking force knocking it on its side as they grinned wide, sharp teeth filling two hellish smiles as the stone on their wrist clicked.

In an instant the Den had shifted, a mirror of the open sky appearing as they took to the air, blasting across the ground like a missile before turning at a perfect 90 degrees, blowing a hole through the cloud bank as they flipped over, lining up their target in seconds.

Then, they descended, one talon catching fire as they fell like a meteor from the heavens, slamming into their target’s flailing skull, and knocking a few teeth loose to their trained eyes, as the fire EXPLODED from the on contact, their form launching our as they landed, unscathed, nearby, using the momentum from their kick to spin on the opposite leg to face their opponent once more after their Sky-High Dive, the Den rippling and returning to normal even as their opponent seized up, twitching as it stayed on its side and, after a few moments of Katsuki wondering if she would have to put it out of its misery, finally expiring.

With a grin, Katsuki rushed forward, hunting knife out as she worked like a machine, managing to get a total of four scales, three pieces of hide, and, to her surprise, two portions of its mane before the rest had become unsalvageable.

“Oh the blacksmith is going to be so impressed with me! with all these parts, I'll be getting a new weapon for sure!” Katsuki squealed, imagining what could be made by the felyne on their ship. “It's going to be amazing, the first rider weapon in the new world.” she breathed, before the sound of something shifting caught her attention.

In an instant she whipped around, sword at the ready, only to pause and relax as she saw Navirou starting to dig through the nest.

“Only the best partner!” Katsuki said, getting a muffled reply as he dug deeper and deeper into the loam, finally producing three eggs to look over as he started testing weight and sniffing.

“Well, I can definitely see why this monster was bottom of the hierarchy around here, little to no diversity, and not much room for mutation.” Navirou muttered, his well trained nose looking for what he could as he chose the smelliest and heaviest of the three.

It was light, lighter than he would have liked, and only smelled like a far off, tempting meal. Better than having no true smell at all, but not the best.

With a sigh, he brought it over to Katsuki who put it in her egg box, before slowly putting said egg box back into her Bag. “The best of the best, that I could find anyways.” Navirou said, frowning. “I hope that you can do SOMETHING with them. Their so…. bland. I can't smell anything interesting from them!” Navirou said, shaking his head.

Mad Science was something he hated, that all the numbers hated. But being around Katsuki….

He hated Bland even more.

“Don't worry Navi!” Katsuki said, smiling as she flipped open her book, looking at the new entry as she looked at the name of the creature she had just slain, and the one she would be riding soon. “Great Jagras…. I think that i'm going to be able to make you shine.” Katsui said, gently patting her bag as she stretched, hopping onto Ratha’s back as they went for the front of the room.

And instantly found themselves outside the Den again.

“So, new world Dens are just as stingy as the ones back home.” Katsuki muttered, looking at where the pile of stones had been. Des respected those with kinship stones, they were agents of balance. But even they had rules. Once they had plundered its depths, and taken one egg, and one egg alone, they would never be allowed back in. The creatures inside would be allowed to hatch, grow, and go back to their natural habitats WITHOUT rider interference.

“At least that Brute is gone.” Navirou muttered, even as Ratha took to the burning orange sky. “We should be good now. Back to the camp?”

“Back to Asteria.” Katsuki nodded, smiling as Ratha began flying that way. As they did, Katsuki noticed the trees rustling nearby, and saw the Brute watching them, nose flared and eyes narrowed even as it tracked them towards the walls of their new home.

Katsuki shot it a feral grin, matching it tooth for tooth as they started descending.

It seemed she had a new rival.

How wonderful!


	6. Chapter 4: Exchanging Knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More looks into rider life, and a new Monstie is born.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last of the OG chapters. If anything comes after this, its all new.

As Katsuki landed, egg in arms and smile on her face, she noticed more than a few hunters looking at her cautiously, hands on hilts and more then a few already having them drawn. Surrounded by weapons of multiple types, she noted that not all of them were the four she was used to. She did see the great swords, SNS combos, hunting horns and hammers, but she also noticed heavy looking pointed spears, light spears with small insects, a few odd looking blades and shields, even a bow and arrow from one pair that made her tilt her head. “What kind of draw strength do you need to pierce armor with that thing? What's the material with enough tensile strength not to snap under it?” She asked, sounding confused. “I can see it taking down Aptonoth if you're using a Kelbi-hunting bow, but not anything bigger.”

“Meowstress Katsuragi!” an excited voice called, catching her ear as she looked away from the slowly relaxing hunters, smiling as she saw two felyne she knew from her travels running towards her. Mittens the Monster Mistress, and Devi the Blacksmith. “The others were getting worried! I’m so glad to see you alright!” Mittens said, coming to a stop next to her as Katsuragi grinned.

“Of course! What kind of master rider would I be if I was taken out by a three star.” Katsuragi boasted, handing over the egg to the suddenly ecstatic Stable Paw as she began rubbing a paw over it carefully.

“Not a scratch to be seen!” The Stable Paw announced. “I’ll start it’s soaking right away! It’ll be ready to hatch in a few hours!” She said, immediately starting to head for the ship, a smile crossing Katsuragi’s face as she saw her go, waving Ratha to go with her as an escort. These people already didn't like her, she wouldn't be trusting a newborn life in their hands.

“Well, if Mew got the egg, Mew must have killed the Guard, right?” Devi said, sounding excited as he started making grasping motions with his paws. “What do you want with them? a Sword and shield? a hunting horn? I know the others aren't your style but I could always make some for your collection.” The Felyne said, sounding eager to work with the new material.

“Actually,” Katsuragi started, looking over the armaments around her. “I want you to get blueprints from the blacksmiths here. They seem to have more versatility than we do, and I want something new to try and work with. A collaboration of two hunting styles!” She said, grinning as Devi froze, eyes travelling to all the other equipment as he nodded sagely.

“Very well, the customer is always right! I’ll get right to work on it, make sure it's exactly what you want. Armor if there’s leftovers, right?” he asked, getting a smile and nod from Katsuki as he went off as well, leaving her alone with Navirou and surrounded by other Hunters.

“So…. Draw strength? Material?” Katsuragi asked, motioning to the bow as the called out hunter blinked before stammering out that he didn’t know. “Well, I'm going to be having questions for Devi once he gets back then.” she muttered, starting to walk off as the hunters watched her, still cautious and curious despite the fact that their hands had left their weapons.

\------------------------------------------------

“Katsuragi!” Lillia called, Alvidia and Cheval with her as they looked up from a map they were planning on. As she wandered into their meeting room, she smiled, her grin only growing as the others got up and started towards her.

“You had us worried, Wild Child.” Cheval said, pounding her shoulder with a smirk on his face, his crimson locks shaking as he suppressed laughter. “You nearly broke the curfew with how close it came. You decide to say ‘Elder’s take it’ and camp out or what?” He grinned, Katsuragi rolling her eyes as Alvidia smiled.

“No, she obviously decided to go off mission and go den diving, or did you not see Mittens rushing in here with a new egg?” The snowy haired girl countered, getting a few nods from Cheval as their green haired companion pouted.

“Guys, it wasn't anything like that! I was being chased by a stubborn Brute, the one that Dabii barely rescued that handler from, and had to duck into a Den to get away! …. where is Dabii anyways?” She muttered, looking around as the two broke down into cackles, Lillia sighing as she shook her head.

“It seems that Dabii has made the first step to making allies with these people. He and the handler he saved have been getting along swimmingly, talking about food and exploration. As we all know, he’s as much of a pig as his partner is, And she’s all interested in how he became a rider.” Lillia said, making Katsuragi smile as she shook her head.

“Of course, the one who joined because he thought it would be interesting is the one who gets our new allies best. Why wouldn't he?” Katsuragi chuckled, casually starting towards the door again as she started heading down. “Mitten’s room is still right near the bottom of the ship in the Plains section, right?” she asked, talking about the area two decks away from the bottom of the ship that they had made into an accurate copy of their home in Pondry Hills.

“There in the center, right next to the lake and in all that open space. By the way, are you ever going to tell us what you have at the bottom of the ship? You banned everyone from going down there, so more than a few of us are curious.” Cheval said, earning a smile and a shake of the head from Katsuragi.

“No, sorry guys. I trust you with my life, but that's a secret I'll keep until it's ready.” She said, a sad smile on her face. “It's almost ready, don't worry.”

“You telling us not to worry has me worried.” Lillia said, eyes narrowing as katsuragi shook off her gaze, casually starting down the stairs as she started her trek.

Mitten’s home was made… interestingly. She had refused any human help in building it, instead relying on the monsters she helped house and train to build it with her. In that regard, it had worked…. allright. It wasn't anywhere near perfect, but it somehow fit Mittens just fine. It was made of wood, stone, and the occasional large leaf as window shutters. Its walls were cobbled stone, welded together by superhot magma breath from the volcano dwellers, and scrubbed clean by those with water breath attacks. Its roof was cobbled together trees, nailed into the stone with Sergeros thorns and wrapped tight by Narscylla silk. The windows were wide leaves that looked like they could hold gallons of water, different scale types being used as nails to hold in their tops and sticks of wood used to let her wrap them up when the wind was nice through the portholes. Inside sat mittens, smiling as she wrote information she had gathered that day into her own Jornal, something she kept to give to her Successor if ever a day came that she retired. Most of the riders knew that would be when she died, as Mittens loved training Monsties just as much as their riders did. 

Looking at Katsuragi, Mittens smiled, not saying a word as she motioned to a nearby box, where she could see the top of the Fanged Wyvern egg sticking out. Looking inside, she saw it semi submerged in Hatching potion, a rider specialty that helped eggs mature fast enough to be hatched almost the moment they were brought in. Normally, they sat in boxes of straw and were watered by the stuff, but with the new strains of monsters in the New World, they took no chances and went back to the older ways. With a smile, Katsuragi picked the egg up, feeling it shake in her hands as she gently placed it on a circular pedestal, almost like a large bird bath, and started the process of hatching her newest partner.

With a smile, she took out a small hammer, barely bigger than a quill with a head the size of her index middle phalanx. with a smile, she began tapping out a series of taps on the shell, doing her best to not touch the little one inside while also giving it the most balanced way to break out of the shell. too little, and it would learn that it was easiest to force its way out of a problem ith hard skin and heavy body, too little and it would learn to rush in without thinking, attacking head on. Through trial and error, she had learned how to balance those impulses, letting a newborn hatchling come out with a mind for attack, defence, and surviving in general, and it hasn't done her wrong yet.

With a smile as she saw the egg start cracking, the potion’s glow inside a bright blue, she held her hand above the egg. With a rattle, a shake, and a crack, the top of the egg popped off, a scaly yellow snout bursting forth from the depths of the egg as the rest of the shell started flaking off, revealing an absolutely adorable miniature of the monster she had fought to get it, a Great Jagras.

“Welcome to the team, little Glug.” Katsuragi muttered, dubbing the creature with his name as she accepted a vial of glowing purple potion in a baby bottle from Mitten’s hands, gently slitting he into the youngling’s mouth as it started its first meal, drinking rapidly as she transferred it from the now shell filled bowl, to the floor of the room as he started growing rapidly. Shooting right out of the hatchling and juvenile stage, the yellow monster grew its sharp talons, its impressive mane, and it's crocodilian stance like that of a leviathan as it grew to a grand total of Five foot at the shoulder. 

The potion of Growth, another rider secret, was a double edged sword. it allowed a hatchling to grow exponentially, but left it without the training its growing years would have given, leaving it in need of learning how to fight. Another disadvantage was the smaller size. A full grown Great Jagras was almost a head taller then a normal hunter. Glut would never grow past the size he stopped at. Any children he had would be full sized, and would be all the stronger then wild born because of their ancestors bond with a kinship stone, but Glut would be a runt of his species, at best. Many of her monsters struggled with this size decrease, and a few were even resentful of their larger counterparts, but it was a small price to pay for the power a bong provided.

With a smile, she mentally disconnected herself from Balloo, taking the big bear off active duty as she slotted her new partner’s mind into the link, taking a look into him as Glut happily trotted around the meadow behind her.

‘ _ hmm, relatively decent stats, considering it's the second to last on the food chain around these parts. +4 to water, -4 to fire, -3 to electricity in the attack mutations, while its defences are more of the same. need to get that patched in. Looking at its gene map… Predator taking up a minor space in there, and a signature gene of… Bulk up? Increase defence and attack, but drop speed. something for the tanks of the group. Might need to grab more of those. Besides that, two empty gene spots at the top and bottom right, meaning if i filled one i could get a Line. Skills are…. Bulk up and Stuff, with a few interesting skills later down the line. Stuff… changes it to its engorged state, increasing defence hard and healing it slightly. form lasts until it's knocked over, or uses the skill Projectile, which it doesn't know yet. learns that later in its life.’ _ she mused, looking at the page and frowning. ‘ _ Rock breaker and monster search, not surprising but i had hoped for a new ride skill. a Kinship Skill called…. Lunch Rush? Follows its hunger to blast by opponents, blasting them away in its rush to get past them….. I'm going to have to look into this. _ ’ she mused, grinning, as she started back towards the stairs, leaving her new partner to frolic as she went down another flight. 

With a grunt she covered her nose, looking disdainfully at what everyone called the Trash Chamber. Its stench was horrible, and it contained all the leftovers that the monsters didn't finish. The riders used it for fertilizer for the other floors, but while it was here the massive area of wasted meats and fruits gnawed at any nose that stayed there too long. With another noise of disgust, she went down to the bottom layer, smiling as she came to her pride and joy, her next project.

Her great secret.

With a gentle grace she walked over to the vat of Hatching potion, gently running her hand over the still shell, feeling the warmth that was ever growing in its star covered surface. black and orange covered its surface, looking like a harvest festival decoration as she gently cleaned it of any parasites and bugs that had found it past the dump of the ship, gently scrubbing its clean as she spoke to it in a gentle voice. “It's all right, my little one. Take ALL the time you need. rest, grow, and be ready. When you finally join us, I know NOTHING will stop you, my little Ragnarok.” she mused, smiling as she drew small circles over the rough shell, giving it a hug before starting back up the stairs, leaving her charge growing in its shell.

and smiling as she heard the slightest of shifts in the water behind her.

He would hatch soon. After months of waiting, she could wait a bit longer.


End file.
